Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho

This guide, published by the Public Affairs Research Institute, aims to empower youth in South Africa to participate in local government and municipal planning. It outlines the legal frameworks supporting youth engagement, highlights the gap between the youth population and their representation in government, and provides practical ways for young people to influence local decision-making.

• There is a significant disparity between the youth population in South Africa and their representation in decision-making bodies. While youth (defined as those aged 18 to 35) make up approximately one-third of the population, only 3% of Members of Parliament are aged 20–29, and 16.8% are aged 30–39.
• Youth voter turnout in South Africa remains low. In the 2021 local government elections, only about 20% of registered youth voted, and in the 2024 provincial and national elections, youth turnout remained below 30%.
• Multiple South African legal frameworks and policies mandate or encourage youth participation in local governance, including the Constitution (1996), the Municipal Systems Act (2000) via the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Act (2008), and the National Youth Policy (2020–2030).
• Barriers preventing youth from engaging in local government include a lack of trust in political institutions, meetings that are inaccessible or poorly designed for youth, limited opportunities for meaningful contribution, high levels of poverty and unemployment, and restricted public education.
• The document suggests practical methods for youth to engage with municipalities, such as attending Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meetings, joining ward committees, running for office as councillors, and volunteering as interns within the municipality.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendilizwi, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{Ilizwi lakho. Uluntu lwakho. Amandla akho}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-isiXhosa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }